Just A Little Dense
by Epsil0nCha0s
Summary: Various one-shots of Ash pairings. Leave a review if you would like a shipping displayed!
1. Advanceshipping

"Hello, Mr. Maple." Ash said politely, standing on the doorstep of the Maple residence. The man smiled, giving a laugh.

"Good to see you, Ash. Come on in, you're always welcome." the boy nodded, stepping past the man. "I take it you've been well?"

"Yes, it felt like it's been a while since I came to visit," Ash stated with a smile, the man giving a friendly nod.

"Dad! Who is it!"

"It's someone you'll know! I'm sure he wants to see you!" Norman called back, smiling. Ash smiled, recognizing the voice immediately.

"I swear, if it's Drew again-" the figure came down the stairs, Ash noticing the grace in her walk. The girl was in a red tank top with skinny jeans, her hair held in an upside down V-shape under a pink bandana, a white pokeball symbol on the side. Looking curiously at the boy, her eyes lit up. "Ash!"

"Hey, M-" he was cut off, grunting as he felt his back collide forcefully with the ground. Wincing, he saw the brunette hugging him with her face in his chest. "May?"

"Ash, I missed you so much!" she said happily, her voice coming slightly muffled from his shirt. He smiled, then cringed as she suddenly looked up at him with an angry expression. "Why didn't you try to contact me!"

"Ah, w-well...You were traveling Johto, and I didn't know where you would be..." Ash replied, avoiding eye contact with the brunette. She glared at him for a moment, then smiled.

"Okay, I believe you on one condition!" he looked at her, who was smiling brightly. A little _too_ brightly. She quickly pulled him up, opening the door and dragging him outside.

"Have fun, you two!" Norman called, watching his daughter drag the boy to certain doom. He shook his head in amusement, smiling. "Poor kid..."

"Ah...May, Where are we going? Do we have to be in such a hurry?" Ash asked, his arm beginning to hurt from stretching.

"There's this really great discount on clothing today, and you're going to help me decide what to get!" she said cheerfully, pumping a fist in the air as she continued to drag him. His eyes widened in horror.

"S..._Shopping_?"

"Yes!" the boy prayed for courage as he watched the girl drag him inside a large building, entering a large lobby. Looking around, he saw various shops selling goods of all kinds. "This way, over here!"

"Okay, okay!" he replied, trying to get himself from her grip to no avail. "May, please don't tear off my arm!"

"Huh?" she looked back with a confused expression, Ash feeling himself heat up. She looked...cute. Wait, did he just think that? "Oh, your arm! I'm so sorry!" she quickly let go, the boy giving a content sigh as he moved it around comfortably.

"Thank you..." he sighed, giving her a smile. She smiled and nodded, quickly darting back for the shops ahead. Crossing his hand over his heart, he frowned as he dashed after her, hoping to catch her before too many bags piled up. Unfortunately, as he found her leaving a shop, she had three bags. "_Seriously?_"

"What?" she asked innocently, giving a confused look again, the boy looking away to avoid any strange thoughts like earlier. Feeling the bags being thrown into his arms, he sighed as he watched the brunette disappear inside another store. "Come on, that's not all!"

"Of course it's not..." he sighed following her in. Looking around, he finally found her walking towards the dressing rooms. With a handful of clothing. His eyes wide as she disappeared behind the curtain, he sighed as he sat no a nearby bench. Looking around, he nodded as he admired the variety of clothing the store had been selling.

"What do you think?" looking back, he was surprised to see her wearing a blue t-shirt reading '2 cute for U'.

"Looks good," he replied calmly, looking away again to avoid anything further on the topic. The brunette frowned, poking out her lower lip as she disappeared behind the curtain again. A few moments passed, Ash glanced back at the door feeling slightly worried. Seconds had passed since she came out in another outfit, that's not like her at all.

"Hey, Ash!" blinking out of his state, he noticed a boy younger than him, waving as he came closer.

"Max, good to see you!" Ash smiled, the boy nodded.

"How long's it been?" the glasses-wearing boy asked, holding his hand out.

"Too long, I'll say that." Ash chuckled, shaking the boy's hand.

"So, what are you doing here?" Max asked, looking oddly at him. Ash pointed back at the dressing room with a sigh, shaking his head. "Ah...Well, see ya." and with that, he disappeared.

"Huh? Traitor..." he muttered, understanding why the boy had ran.

"So how about this one, then?" he looked back, biting his lower lip as she was now wearing jean shorts ending halfway down her thighs, matching with a pink tank top. She gave him a wink. "So?"

"I, uh...Yeah, I...like it..." he quickly turned away, mentally cursing himself for acting stupid. But, if he had answered honestly, she might have been creeped out. The brunette frowned again, giving a devilish smirk as she disappeared in the room again. "She's trying to kill me, I know it...The next one's going to scar me for life..."

"Oh, you'll love this one."

"Great..." he muttered, taking a deep breath before turning around. The brunette wore a blue two-piece bikini, revealing a lot of bare skin and showing off her curves and figure. As his eyes set on her, they widened as his jaw dropped. She posed, the boy moving his hand to his nose as she winked again, making the boy grow very warm.

"Do you like it?" she asked innocently, unaware the boy was struggling to not pass out. Blinking rapidly from his state of dizziness, he nodded.

"I, uh...Yeah, ah...I...like... it...looks good..." the girl giggled, smiling sweetly at the boy's nervous behavior.

"We're friends, Ash. It's not like it matters." she winked again, disappearing behind the curtain. The boy removed his hand from his face and looked at it, giving a shocked look as he rubbed it on his pant-leg. He sighed, breathing deeply to prevent from passing out. But, no matter how much he tried, the image remained in his mind. "All right, I'm ready then!" she said happily, emerging from the curtain. She blinked in confusion as she noticed the boy's expression, who seemed to be in a heavenly fantasy. "Hey, day-dreamer, do you want to go?"

"Huh?" he immediately replied, looking at her. He jumped up, nodding. She giggled, leaving the store with him. As they left the mall, May looked surprised as she noticed the brightness outside.

"Wow, it got dark outside..." she stated, looking around. Ash turned to his side, looking out from behind the mountain of shopping bags in his hands, his eyes widening as he noticed.

"How long were we in there, exactly!" he asked in shock.

"A few hours, maybe. I think it's about...Seven, right now...?" she put a finger to her chin, giving a thinking look as she thought. The boy shook his head of his thoughts, which were along the line of 'cute'.

"A _few_! We went in at- Man, we were there the _entire day_!" Ash exclaimed, eyes wide. The brunette smiled, giving a wink as she put her hands to her cheeks, sticking her tongue out playfully.

"Aww, come on, it wasn't that bad. You got to enjoy a day with me," she said sweetly, the boy's cheeks heating up as she winked again, then laughing playfully as she hurried away. He shook his head with a smile, struggling to catch up with the many pounds of shopping material.

"Oh, there you are," Norman stated, looking up from his newspaper as his daughter stepped through the doorway, closing it behind her. "Did you have fun?"

"Yep!" she nodded, smiling.

"Oh, I know that look." an older brunette said, stepping into the room with a cup of tea. "Were you teasing him?"

"Maybe," she stuck her tongue out playfully, laughing as she dashed up the staircase. The two adults looked at each other, shaking their heads.

"That girl..."

"Poor boy..."

**END**


	2. Pearlshipping

"So, Dawn, what do you have to eat around here?" Ash asked. The blunette put her hands on her hips, frowning at him.

"You asked the same thing two hours ago, when you got here." she told him.

"Well, you know me..." he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, his stomach rumbling in agreement. The blunette shook her head in amusement, moving into the other room. The boy followed her, surprised to watch her tie an apron around her back. She looked at him innocently, confused as he stared in surprise.

"What is it?" she asked, the boy only staring in response. She looked down, then understood. "Oh, I get it. Well, since you're hungry, I may as well make you something."

"You can _cook_?" his jaw dropped. The blunette frowned, giving a huff as she turned toward the oven.

"Of course I can, being friends with Brock has its advantages." she stated, turning the heat dial up. She opened a cupboard above her, taking out a box. "Ah, here it is."

"What's that?" he asked, moving towards her. Looking beside her, he noticed the box's design and words. "Cookies?"

"Yeah, you got me hungry," she smiled, giving a giggle as she pulled a bowl out of another cupboard. "Alright, let's see...Eggs, butter, water..." she read through the list out loud, moving through the kitchen and retrieving hte various items. In a few moments, Ash watched her mix the ingredients into the bowl. "Simply like this, ~la-di-da~..."

"You sing while cooking?" Ash asked, arching an eyebrow at the girl. She looked at him, sticking her tongue out with a wink.

"It goes by faster," she stated, holding a spoon out. He looked strangely at her. "Here, stir this."

"Fine," he conceded, taking the spoon and beginning to stir the mixture. Surprised after a few seconds, it began to get thicker and harder to stir. Dawn smiled as she pulled out the cookie sheets, setting them on the table as she turned back to see Ash's progress. Surprised, she saw him struggling.

"What's wrong?" she asked, looking oddly at him then the bowl.

"It's hard to stir!" he complained, giving a frown as he sighed. The blunette rolled her eyes, taking the spoon from him.

"You are such a guy," she told him, beginning to stir the spoon at a faster rate. Ash's eyes widened at her speed, then she stopped. "Alright, it's done. Now, on the cookie sheets and in the oven."

"Is that part hard?"

"No, it's easy. But, for you..." she trailed off, tapping her chin playfully as she passed him, placing the bowl on the table beside the sheets. Taking the spoon and small scoops, she placed them evenly and neatly on the cookie sheets.

"Aww, I wanted to do that..." Ash frowned, the blunette sticking her tongue out playfully.

"You'll only hurt yourself," she stated, giving a giggle.

"How can you hurt yourself doing that?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.

"You'll find a way," Ash gave a quiet sigh, watching his friend continue dropping cookie dough on the sheets. "Okay, in the oven~!"

"Again?" the blunette nodded, opening the oven. Ash winced at the sudden heat, while Dawn eased the cookie sheet carefully into the oven, closing the front. "So how long is that going to take?"

"About ten minutes," noticing the boy's frown, hearing another grumble, she gave him a smile. "Hey, you can do this sheet of cookies."

"Yes!" he beamed, taking the spoon from the bowl and scooping some out. Plopping it on the sheet, she noticed it was a little deformed.

"Hold on," he looked at her. "You don't just plop them on, you have to keep them together or it won't even make a cookie," she told him, taking some dough in her hand and rolling it into a sphere. "See? Like this."

"Okay..." he said, unsure as he took some in his hand. Rolling it in his hands, he soon placed a sphere of dough onto the sheet. "Like that?"

"Exactly!" she clasped her hands together, smiling brightly. The boy nodded, smiling as he continued forming the dough as he was taught. After a few minutes, a few more failures and the girl laughing at him, he had finished a full sheet of cookies.

"So that's it?" he asked, the girl nodding. Just then, the oven's buzzer sounded.

"Ooh! They're done!" Dawn cheered, quickly opening the oven. Wearing her oven mitts, she reached in and pulled out the cookie tray, placing it on the top. As Dawn removed the mitts, she glanced back and noticed Ash looking intently at them. As if instinct, she brought her hand down near the tray, hitting Ash's.

"Ow!" he yelped, drawing his hand back and rubbing it. He glared at the girl, who smiled playfully.

"They're still hot, so don't touch them." she said sweetly while putting in the second batch, the boy hearing the threat in her tone. He stepped back in fear. "Good boy."

"Man, I just want a cookie..." he mumbled.

"And I say no," he frowned at her innocent tone, knowing fully well it was a scam. Ash's advice: don't disobey girls. "All right, I've got to go upstairs for a minute. If any of those cookies are gone, even _moved_..." she trailed off as she left the room, her icy tone getting beneath Ash. However, this _was_ Ash...

"Alright, just one..." he told himself, reaching for the cookies. Stopping, he thought about his choices. "I don't take a cookie, and I will be guaranteed two full sheets of them...If I take one, she'll do God-knows-what to me..." he frowned, a shiver going down his spine at the thought. "Well...Here goes nothing." he drew his breath, putting his hand on the cookie. Suddenly, a surge of heat went through his palm up his arm. "Ow, ow! Hot, hot, hot!" he shouted, running around the room while holding his red hand. Stumbling on a pushed-out chair leg, he tripped and landed face-first on the floor. Dawn appeared in the doorway, smiling with her arms crossed.

"I told you you would hurt yourself," a few minutes passed as she managed to bring Ash onto the chair, a box of band-aids on the table beside him. "I tell you one thing, and you manage to mess it up."

"Quiet..." he grumbled, wincing as she pushed the bandage on his forehead. The blunette giving a smile and a nod, the two heard the oven's buzzer go off.

"Oh, the second batch is done!" she cheered again, quickly opening the oven and with her oven mitts, pulling out the tray of fresh cookies. She smiled down at her work, then slapped Ash's hand again. "What did I tell you?"

"Sorry..." he said sheepishly, giving a nervous smile.

"Take these ones, they should be cooled down by now." gesturing to the first batch of cookies, Ash eyed them curiously. His stomach grumbling on cue, he took one slowly in his hands. Taking a bite, he chewed carefully for a few moments before his eyes lit up.

"These are awesome!" Dawn smiled, watching the boy throw back another cookie. He looked at her, smiling. "These are the best cookies I've ever had!"

"Thanks, I only try my best." she stated, taking a cookie in her own hand and biting it. Sighing contentedly at the taste, she put her free hand to her cheek. "Ah, I love my cooking..."

"Self-centered much?" the boy asked, chuckling.

"What was that?" she asked sweetly, the boy flinching at her threatening tone again. The girl giggled at his behavior as she chewed on another cookie, the boy stepped away, watching her cautiously.

**END**


	3. Furthershipping

"So what do you want to do?" Ash asked, arms crossed behind his head coolly as he walked. Looking over his friend, Leaf, she gave a shrug.

"I dunno, you wanted to go on this walk." the brunette responded, the boy looking in the sky as he tried to recall what he had said. Giving a sigh, he remembered he had indeed suggested it. "So you invite a girl for a walk and don't know what to do? Not to mention, late?"

"Well...Yeah," he replied sheepishly, giving a chuckle. Noticing the air around him, he remembered it was late in the day. The sun was beginning to set, and the water shined.

"Typical guy," she sighed, smiling as she looked at him. "So, what do _you_ want to do?"

"I dunno, I asked you first," he replied, looking away from her curious face.

"That's no excuse," she giggled, then her face lit up. "Oh, that's it! Come on!"

"Wha- Hey!" he felt himself dragged forward, her grip on his arm surprisingly death-like. He frowned, looking oddly as the brunette forced him to an unknown location. "So, where exactly are we going?"

"It's a surprise!" she exclaimed, smiling happily as she continued down the path with the boy in toe. As the minutes went by, the boy glanced around, noticing odd looks from older men and women as they noticed the pair. Giving a sigh, he realized they probably think he's crazy by now. "Almost there!"

"Oh, goodie..." he said sarcastically, giving a grunt as he felt his arm yanked harder. "Ow!"

"Oops," she looked back over her shoulder, sticking her tongue out playfully with a smile. Ash glared at the girl, who only giggled happily as she continued dragging the boy. A few more minutes passed, Ash complained, Ash glared at the girl for _accidentally_ yanking his arm, it was a repetitive process. Soon, but not too soon, Ash panted as he fell to his knees, panting.

"F...Finally..." he gasped, his breath short. The girl crossed her arms, frowning as she shook her head.

"You should get out more," she told him, the boy too tired to give a glare.

"...Eh..." was his response, the girl gave a quiet sigh. Smiling, she looked where she had brought him.

"Well, at least we got here!" she said cheerfully, the boy looking oddly at her. Finally looking in front of him, his eyebrow raised as he noticed where he was.

"A carnival?" he asked, glancing to the brunette. Getting to his feet, he looked oddly at the flashing lights and moving objects ahead.

"Totally! Come on, let's hurry!" the girl grabbed his arm again, dragging him inside. Feeling the sense of deja vu, he breathed heavily as the girl spoke to the ticket vendor. Coming back with a smile and two rolls of tickets, the boy frowned with a sigh. This would be a while.

"How long are we staying here?" he sighed, the boy feeling depressed as he followed the happy brunette.

"Until we go on all the rides!" she put her fist in the air, beaming as she continued toward the next destination. The boy followed closely.

"Hey, kid, want to impress your girlfriend?" feeling a shiver up his spine, he looked around. Cringing as he met eyes with a shady man in a booth, he moved towards it. "Real simple. Just get three baskets, and you win one thing from above you." the boy looked up, seeing a variety of assorted stuffed animals and figures. Ash thought, glancing back as the brunette looked around with a confused expression. Evidently, she had lost track of him.

"Well..." he trailed off, having troubles deciding.

"I'm sure your girlfriend will enjoy a gift, and showing off a little skill never hurts, either." the man spoke, his expression giving Ash the jitters. As the boy processed the man's words through his head, his face lit up.

"Oh, n-no. We're just friends, t-that's all." he told him, waving his arms defensively as his face glowed red.

"That's what everyone says at your age," the boy frowned, taking a step back. "So I take it that's a no, then." the man turned away, looking for other potential customers.

"...Hold on," he glanced back with a smirk, he saw the boy fishing through his pockets. Finally pulling his hands out, he appeared to have something in his hands. "Is this enough?"

"I'm not a rip-off, kid," the man stated, taking half of the money in his hands. Confused, he put the money back in his pockets and stepped close to the booth. The man pointed to the side, Ash noticing a basket of orange spheres. "Sink three and you win. You get six shots."

"Only three, huh?" the man nodded, the boy looking curiously at the ball he had taken in his hands, then up at the net a short distance ahead surrounded by netting. Smirking, he positioned the ball over his head and gave a light toss. The ball soared through the air, then bounced on the front of the circular rim and rolled back down. The boy stumbled, giving a frown. "Okay...Not as easy as I thought..."

"Better get it together, your girlfriend's back," the man told him, leaning on the counter with a smirk. Ash's face heated again, lowering his head as he knew what he meant.

"Ash! You could tell me when you decide to run off!" the girl scorned, hands on her hips as she frowned to the boy. "So, what exactly are you doing?"

"Making three shots," the boy told her, taking another ball from the basket. "Get three out of six shots and you win."

"How many you make?" she asked, leaning backwards against the counter beside him, opposite side of the man.

"None yet," he told her, positioning the sphere over his head.

"Figures, you were never a sports guy." she sighed, crossing her arms.

"I've only made one shot," he said with a sigh, concentrating on the net. Giving another toss, but with a little more force, the ball soared through the air as the pair watched it curiously. Falling straight through the center of the hoop, the boy smiled.

"Nice job, for a beginner," the girl taunted, the boy's smile dropping.

"Quiet," the girl rolled her eyes, watching him position for another shot. Soaring through the air again, it dropped straight through the hoop. "What was that about beginner?"

"Beginner's _luck_," the girl giggled, looking away innocently. Ash frowned again, focusing as he prepared his fourth shot.

"I'll show you luck..." he muttered, closing his eyes and drawing a breath. Tossing the ball, it soared as the boy watched in anticipation, the girl glancing back unnoticeable.

"Looks like a winner," the man stated, the younger pair looking at him with confused expressions. Hearing a familiar sound, they noticed the ball passing through the hoop. They looked at the man, then at the net repeatedly.

"How...?" Ash started, but couldn't end it.

"Playing the sport, you get a sense," the man told him, pointing up. "Pick a prize for your girlfriend, kid."

"G-Girlfriend!" she gasped, her face turning red as she moved her hands to her cheeks. She looked at Ash in disbelief for a moment, him giving her a sigh.

"I guess I'll let you have this one," he told her, crossing his arms behind his head as he looked away. The girl looking curiously up at the prizes, she took a few moments before pointing at one. The man reaching up and taking it, he brought it down and into the girl's hands. She had chosen a stuffed blue turtle with a squirrel-like tail and shell.

"Have a good date, young'ins." the two heated up again, looking away in embarrassment. The two moved away from the booth with the prize in Leaf's hands, they moved in the same direction as earlier.

"So...Ferris wheel?" Leaf looked at Ash, who had managed to control his blush. He was still looking away uncomfortably, arms behind his head. "...I know we haven't been there, and you wanted to see it all..."

"...Okay," she nodded, giving a smile. The boy smiled, the pair continuing towards the large wheel nearby. Handing the man tickets, they carefully stepped in and sat in the seat, the man pulling the bar over their laps.

"Make sure not to rock it," he told them, turning back towards the bar beside him. Pulling it, the seat jolted up.

"Yeah, Ash," Leaf said playfully, punching his shoulder lightly.

"If I recall, the last time we were on here it was _you_ rocking it," he told her, giving a frown.

"...Don't remember," she said playfully, sticking her tongue out with a smile. He gave a sigh, smiling as he looked down. Now a way up the wheel, they began to descend downward as the wind blew their hair up. "Aah! No!"

"Only you..." he sighed, rolling his eyes as he noticed the brunette holding her hair down. She glared at him.

"A girl's image is the most important thing," she said, poking her lower lip out.

"Funny, I don't care about that," he said with a smirk, looking away as he knew it would get to her.

"How can you _not_ care what I look like?" she asked, leaning forward and looking at him. He noticed her in the corner of his eyes, closing them.

"I just don't," she frowned more, crossing her arms with a huff as she looked away. He only smirked to himself. Suddenly, the seat jolted to a stop. "Oh, great...At the top, too..."

"...Nice view, huh?" he glanced back at her, noticing her anger had disappeared rather quickly. Sitting with her hands together on her lap, she looked admiringly at the land below. He looked over.

"...Yeah..." was his response, the girl glancing at him occasionally.

"...To think, neither of us have been out of Pallet," she said, giggling with a smile.

"Yeah, you're right...But look, the world is huge..." Ash smiled, the pair looking into the vast distance all around them.

"...Ah...I guess I'm a little sleepy..." Leaf said quietly, giving a yawn. Ash smiled, looking at her. "What?"

"Nothing," he looked away, the girl puffing out her cheeks.

"What is it?" she asked again.

"Nothing."

"Tell me."

"Nope."

"Typical guy..." she sighed, then gave another yawn.

"I guess this trip really took it out of you," he chuckled, smiling as the girl rubbed her eyes. He looked away, smiling. "Want to head back?"

"You always want to head back..." she gave another yawn, her eyes growing heavy. "...Typical..."

... ...

"...Leaf?" he asked, beginning to turn his head. Looking over, he was surprised as her head dropped to his shoulder. Giving a smile, he watched her sleep peacefully.

"...Typical...Guy..." she muttered, clutching the boy's shirt. He shook his head in amusement, looking back out at the distance as she rested on his shoulder.

"Sweet dreams, Leaf."

**END**

**Not sure if this is the actual shipping name, but I can't find it on Google. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.**


	4. Kissshipping

"Ash, hurry up!" the girl said playfully, dragging the boy's arm through a crowded street. With a sigh, he followed closely as to keep his arm attached.

"Meldoy, can you remind me again why you're almost ripping my arm off?" he asked, looking oddly at the girl.

"You agreed to come with me to this festival, but you're _so_ slow!" she giggled, stopping and looking sideways with her eyes shimmering. "Aww, how cute! Look at this!"

"What?" he sighed, looking at what Melody had seen. Seeing it closer, it was a stuffed toy of a silver bird with blue scale-like points on its back. "Huh..."

"Haven't you see anything so cute!" she clasped her hands together, beaming as she stared at the toy. He arched an eyebrow at the girl, then reached into his pocket. Melody watched him curiously as he called over the storekeeper, then handed him bills and took the toy. holding it to her, he smiled.

"Now you can't say I'm cheap," she looked at him, surprised as she took the toy in her hands. Smiling, she startled the boy with a tight embrace.

"Thanks, Ash," she whispered, smiling as she pulled back. He gave a nod, then Melody began dragging him again. "You're a great guy."

"I get that a lot," he said in a bragging tone, putting his hands behind his head with a grin. The brunette punched his shoulder playfully, smiling.

"_Sure_ you do," she said sarcastically, rolling her eyes as she ran away from him, laughing. He gave another sigh, chasing after her.

"Can't you slow down!" he shouted, the girl ignoring him as she ran and laughed. Something else catching her eye, she suddenly stopped and moved off-trail and inspected it closely with curious eyes. Ash finally catching up, he noticed her looking at another object. This was a brown, leather-bounded book with a strap extending around it. "Something else?"

"One sec," she replied, taking the book. Carefully examining front and back, she detached the strap and opened the book. The pages were worn out, the first page showing a picture of three peculiar birds with a bird-like shadow beneath with glowing eyes. "Wow..."

"Interested?" they looked up, surprised to see the storekeeper looking at them with a smile. "It's an old journal, it explains something that happened a long time ago that was supposed to involve some rare birds." he explained, the two younger ones looking oddly at him.

"Rare?" Ash asked.

"That's right. They were supposed to be unlike any birds, they could control the elements of fire, ice and electricity." he explained again, the kids blinking in surprise.

"They could _control_ it?" Melody asked, blinking again. He nodded.

"It's a surprising story, I would recommend it if you were into folklore and old myths. It says this happened a long time ago somewhere near an old island at sea, hardly anyone goes there anymore. If you wanted to go there, who knows?" he asked, smiling. "You may even see them yourself."

"Wow, awesome!" Ash beamed, beaming as he stared at the book in admiration. "Imagine seeing something like that!"

"It would certainly be something rare, that's for sure." the man told them. "Tell you what, since you're a nice pair of kids, I'll put up a special discount for the next few minutes."

"Wow! Really?" Melody asked, her eyes gleaming as the man nodded. "Yay!" Ash reached in his pocket, putting more bills in the man's hand as Melody smiled and waved to the man, turning around with the book in-hand, holding the toy with the other. Ash looked at the book in her hands curiously, smiling. "What do you say to reading it now?"

"Sure!" he exclaimed, the two rushing over to a nearby bench. Sitting, Ash took the book from her as she held her toy, Ash opening the front cover. Seeing the familiar page, they smiled at each other. Then he turned the next, and they began their tale of history.

**END**


	5. Negaishipping

"Come on, you kid!"

"Quiet, Iris!"

"I would if you weren't so slow, Ash," she giggled, smiling as she walked ahead. The boy sighed again, his back slouched as he trailed behind her. "Come on, it's not that far now!"

"You said that _twenty minutes _ago!" he shouted, glaring at the back of the girl. She turned around, playfully poking her tongue out.

"Oooh, big deal," she replied, rolling her eyes as she turned forward again. "If you stop complaining, we really _can_ get there in under five minutes."

"How many times have I heard that now...?" Ash muttered, frowning to himself. After a few minutes, they arrived at their destination. The path ending, Ash looked surprised as he looked at the view in front of him. "Whoa..."

"Told you it was amazing," the two were in the middle of a forest, the sun was setting enough so the area was dim-lit orange. Under the radiant glow of the sun, the autumn leaves fell from the treetops slowly, casting a beautiful autumn scene. "Leave it to me for finding the best spots of nature," the purple-haired girl said proudly, crossing her arms with a smile.

"Wow, you were actually right..." he looked at the girl in disbelief. "How did you find this?"

"I was on a walk, and I just came through here at a lucky time," Iris responded, giving her shoulders a shrug. "In short, just an accident."

"Happy accident, that's for sure," Ash smiled, looking around. He held his hand out into the air, a leave gently landing in his hand. He lowered it, looking at the leaf in his palm. "This time of year is great, isn't it?"

"Yeah, sure is. Romantic, too," she replied, looking around in admiration.

"How is this romantic?" he asked, looking oddly at her. She looked at him with a sigh, frowning.

"You are completely hopeless."

"Huh? How am I hopeless?"

"So if I hugged you right now, how would you react?"

"Hug you back, since we're friends."

"And that's why."

"Huh?"

"Come to think of it, you haven't been here before, have you?" she asked, looking at him.

"Not that I can remember," the boy shook his head. "But, I'm glad I did today."

"You're welcome, then," she stated proudly, smiling. He rolled his eyes.

"Alright, thanks," he told her, looking in the opposite direction. "Have you ever wondered why the leaves turn orange at only this point in the year?"

"Have you wondered why it changes color at all?" Iris asked, arching an eyebrow at the boy. He scratched his head.

"...You know, yeah...Why is that?" she shrugged, the boy giving a sigh. "You're a lot of help."

"Do _you_ know why they change color only this time of year?" she asked, looking expectantly at him.

"Nah, I was just making conversation."

**END**


	6. Mareshipping

Ash sipped the herbal tea from the small cup, smiling as he sat with one ankle resting on his opposite knee, lowering the cup to the table as he looked at the scenic city around him. Streets of water passed in each direction, small boats moving past with tourists admiring the scenery. He took a bill from his pocket, placing it on the table, then stood and walked out of the cafe. Smiling to himself, he recalled the dircetions in his head as he moved through the maze-like paths, being careful not to get lost. "Now...It was a left here...Then a right, and another left..."

"Mommy! Look at the dancers!" he looked over to see a small child and mother a few feet from him, the child tugging on the mother's arm. He looked past them, following the child's pointing finger to the street performers a short distance away.

"Past the dancers, then you're home-free," he smiled to himself, walking past the pair towards the performers. They smiled to him as he past, he clapped his palm against his opposite wrist, smiling as he moved down the long path. As he went further, the street seemed to get slightly darker as the buildings towered higher around him, blocking the light. He turned the corner, accidentally kicking a small can. He picked it up curiously, noticing a small triangle on the top of the closed tin. He placed the can back where it was, looking at the wall opposite of it. He held out his hand, strangely passing through the wall as it became a blobby passageway. He passed through, disappearing from the street as he moved through a dark and mysterious area. Light eventually peaked over him, walking into a large and beautiful garden. He looked around, looking at the watch on his wrist and reading 12:29. "Guess I'm a little early..."

"_Laaaa!_" he looked behind him, surprised to feel a powerful gust of wind sweep through the area. He held his stance, noticing a strange camouflaged figure dart past. He smiled, looking back as it circled around, charging at him again. He stood still calmly, the figure breaching to a hault inches from him as a powerful wind blew past him, rustling his hair as he stood unfazed.

"You'll have to try harder than that, Latios," he chuckled, the figure glowing as it became a white and blue figure. The figure smiled, giving a nod. "So how have you been? Anyone make a move on the Soul Dew?" the eon figure shook its head, Ash giving a smile. The pair moved towards the fountain in the center, Ash sitting on the edge as his friend hovered beside him. "Lorenzo works today, right? So where's the others?" the figure smiled, pointing up the stairs. Ash stood, moving up the stairs with his friend following, until they reached the top and Ash found an amusing sight. A girl was lying on the ground, a magazine lying over her face as her quiet breath was heard, her chest rising and lowering slowly. He arched an eyebrow at the blue figure, who only smiled back, crouching beside the girl and slowly lifting the pages. The girl's peacefully-sleeping face was revealed, eyes closed with her lips slightly parted for breathing. He put the magazine on the ground beside him, smiling. "Come on, time to wake up..."

"No...No playtime...Today..." she muttered, her arm subconsciously moving over and covering the top half of her face.

"I'll burn your paintings."

"No! Stay away!" she lurched up, eyes wide as she stared ahead. She gave a yawn, stretching her arms as she noticed Latios hovering near her. "Latios, what did I say about getting in my head? It's a lazy day, you know."

"Well, seeing as how you love your beauty sleep, I guess I'll leave," Ash chuckled, the girl looking over with an innocent confusion on her face. Her eyes lit up, wrapping her arms around the boy.

"Ash! You made it!" she said happily, the boy hugging her back as he looked confused.

"I always make it, don't you have faith in me anymore?" he asked, feeling hurt.

"Of course I do," she giggled, pulling back with a smile. "So was it you threatening my paintings, then?"

"It's the only way to wake you up anymore," he shrugged, standing and offering his hand to the girl. The girl pulled herself to her feet with his help, but not letting go of his hand. "...Bianca, you can let go now."

"No, this is your punishment," she giggled, beaming as the boy rolled his eyes with a sigh.

"Oh, great, just what I need," he said sarcastically, but the girl only laughed at him. Latios watched the pair in amusement, his body giving a pearlescent shine as he became blended with the air, moving away quietly.

"So what's new with you?" the brunette asked, the pair walking down the stairs.

"Nothing much, just been taking in the city's sights," he shrugged. "You?"

"I guess I'm the same, been drawing a few new scenes of the garden. Latios and Latias has been helping me with that," she smiled, looking behind them but was confused to see nothing. "Hey, where did he go?"

"Latios?" Ash asked, looking back but the figure had disappeared. "...Weird..."

"Well, I guess that gives us more time together," she squeezed his hand, the boy giving a sigh.

"You never give up with this girly teasing stuff, do you?" he asked, the girl smiling and shaking her head. "That's what I thought..."

"It's fun, and you're too easy," she giggled, moving closer beside the boy.

"What do you mean?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You get annoyed too easy, I can do anything and it annoys you," she replied, looking at the boy with a gentle smile.

"Maybe it's just you."

"Hey! That's mean!"

"So is cutting blood circulation from my hand."

"It's not that bad, you're just being silly."

"I beg to differ."

"Whatever," she rolled her eyes, laughing as the boy cracked a smile. "I told you, you're soft when it comes to girls."

"No I'm not," he responded, the smile disappearing. The pair sat down on the edge of the fountain, the girl still holding his hand tightly. "Any chance I can escape?"

"If you're implying you're going to push me in the fountain like last time, that's not going to work," the boy smiled, thinking back to the previous events.

"Good times," he chuckled, the girl lightly hitting his arm. She looked in the opposite direction, smiling. "Gah!"

"What?" she looked confused at the bricks beside her, then noticed the feeling of his hand disappeared from hers. She moved her fingers, looking back in confusion, noticing his hand was gone. She looked around.

"Hey! Come on, take it easy!" she looked ahead, surprised to see a red and white figure on top of Ash, hugging him excitedly with a gleeful expression. She stood up, preparing to go stop it, but a blue figure hovered down in front of her, smiling and shaking its head.

"What? Was this you?" she asked, hands on her hips as she glared at the figure. He nodded.

**"You shouldn't get jealous."**

"I am _not_ jealous! Latias, let go of Ash!"

**"You're doing a great job of hiding it..."**

**END**


	7. Imaginationshipping

"Look out! Out of the way, out of the wayyy!"

"Gah!"

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry!"

"Bianca, this is the fourth time this week," Ash sighed, holding his jacket in front of a freshly-made fire. "Why are you always in a rush, and why do you always seem to find _me_?"

"...I dunno, I've never thought about it..." she said curiously, tapping her chin and looking into the sky. "That's very odd..."

"Very..." he sighed again, shaking his head slightly.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I gotta go, I'll be late! Byyee!" she said cheerfully, the boy watching in confusion as the girl darted off quickly, leaving a small breeze in the area. Recalling each day this scene played out, the boy couldn't think of anything distinct or unique about their encounters. But, it didn't delay the simplest question.

"...What...Just...Happened?"

_**The next day...**_

"Look out, look out! I can't slow dooown!"

"Gah!"

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry! Sorry!"

"I should've seen this coming..." Ash sighed, feeling deja vu as he held his jacket in front of a fire.

"But I have started thinking about it, oh yes, I did!" she said happily, beaming as she clapped her hands together.

"About what?" he asked, looking confused at her, then remembered. "Wait...You actually thought about why you run into me?"

"Yes, I did, I did! And I think I found an answer!" she replied happily, the boy arching an eyebrow.

"Okay, let's hear it."

"There's no reason at all!"

"..."

"Oh, I'm gonna be late! bye-byyyee!" The boy watched in silence as the girl dashed off again, playing the same scenario as the previous day. But something got his attention, he began sniffing the air.

"Wait, is that...Perfume? Huh, I don't remember smelling this before..."

**END**


	8. Confidenceshipping

"A...choo!" Ash sniffed, rubbing under his nose as he pulled up the zipper on his jacket. "I hate the cold in winter..." he muttered, looking ahead and noticing a red-roofed building. His eyes lit up, hurrying forward through the cold air and passing through the doorway. He sighed as a heat of wave washed over him, pulling down his zipper again.

"Hello, welcome to the pokemon center," the pink-haired woman greeted him happily, holding her hand to the left. "It's a cold night, so we're offering free hot chocolate in the guest room today. Feel free to help yourself."

"Thank you, that would be great," Ash smiled, moving to the left and entering the other room. He noticed the small table with the beverage service, smiling as he quickly moved towards it, filling a mug with the hot liquid. He looked around the room, realizing he was the only one there, confusing him.

"Are you wondering why it's so empty?" the boy looked back at the nurse, nodding at her words. "Everyone traveling through that air got cold fast, so they've already gone to their rooms for rest."

"Oh, okay," he replied, sitting on the couch as the nurse moved into the back room. He glanced around the room, an eery silence filling the building as he sat with the hot drink in his hands, the only sound being the tick of the clock's hand counting the seconds.

"Ah, the cold~" he almost jumped at the surprising voice, looking over to the wall hiding the doorway. A figure stepped past, surprising the boy further as he recognized it. The girl was roughly his height, wearing a green tank top over a darker green t-shirt, as well as a dark-green skirt and knee-high socks. She had icy-blue eyes and short red hair, smiling as she held her arms crossed. "I love the winter..."

"Georgia?" Ash asked, the girl looking at him confused.

"Hey, I know you...It was Ash, right?" he nodded, the girl walking towards him. "So what brings you here? And where's your annoying wanna-be dragon master friend?" she asked, Ash mentally facepalming as he knew she meant Iris.

"Iris had to go back to the Village of Dragons for a while, said it was a family thing," Ash told her, the girl giving a nod.

"At least I don't have to put up with her this time," she smiled, then noticed the steaming cup in his hand. "Can't stand the cold?"

"Not really, even after the years I've travelled," he chuckled, taking a drink from the cup. His lips instantly burnt, snapping back from the cup.

"I'm not really interested in heat, I'd rather stay in the cold," she told him, sitting on the couch across from him. "Dragon-types hate the cold, so that keeps them away."

"That's a bit profound to dragon-types, don't you think?" the boy raised an eyebrow, the girl giving a shrug.

"I just don't really like them, that's why I decided to be a dragon buster," she responded, smiling as she looked out the window at the layer of snow on the ground and trees. "Just look at it, the beauty and grace of the snow."

"Beauty? Grace?" he asked, looking confused at the outside scene.

"Yeah, I always get this happy feeling when I look at snow. It makes me feel...I don't know, younger," she stated, crossing her arms. "Don't tell Iris about any of this."

"Don't worry, I won't," Ash replied, the pair sharing smiles. "So, why do you hate dragon-types anyway?"

"A few bad experiences in my past..." she shuddered, the boy frowning.

"I won't ask about it," he looked out the window again, focusing on the snow's pure white color. Georgia looked at him curiously, smiling.

"You know, you're kind of a different person without your friends," she told him, the boy giving a confused look.

"How?" he asked, the girl giving a shrug.

"I don't know, you just seem...More open to others. Plus that annoying dragon girl isn't around, so I'm not fighting and can notice things now," she gave a laugh, Ash joining.

"I guess that is true, you fight every time you meet," Ash stated, the girl giving a nod. He sipped more of his drink, looking disappointedly into the bottom of the cup.

"Already done?" she asked.

"This cup was smaller than I thought..." he frowned, then looked back at the service machine. "But it's free..."

"You shouldn't fil up on it now," she told him, shaking her head in amusement.

"Then what do I do?" he asked, the girl standing.

"Come on, let's go outside," she told him, the boy giving her a confused look as she headed towards the entrance. She stopped at the wall, looking back. "Are you coming?" she asked, smiling. He continued to look at her, then smiled.

"...Sure."

"You've played in the snow before, right?"

"Of course, but you don't seem like the playful type."

"Yeah, I've never grown out of playing in snow."

"That's cool."

"Making jokes about the snow?"

"...Huh, didn't notice. Weird."

"You're kinda funny, too."

**END**


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